Flames and Kors
by PrimoGiotto5510
Summary: Sawada Tsunayoshi knows nothing of 'his' past. The only link 'he's ever got are 'his' strange dreams and even those are vague. Will an examination gone wrong, an escape from 'his' military academy and a trip to God's territory help 'him' regain his precious but lost memory? And what's this? Love is in the air? Allx'27' AU set in the 07-ghost world, crossover! Beware of OOC-ness!
1. Escape

**IMPORTANT  
****  
Sherry here. Okay, first off, I am NOT discontinuing any fics! 'Half-brothers' and 'Shumi in Mafialand' WILL be continued by me but I just need time. ALOT of time. This fic is also rather recent and I will try my best to update it regularly. 'Tsunaru' will still be ongoing, but I am currently going through a MAJOR writer's block for that fic. Please understand! I do not own KHR or 07-ghost by the way. Oh and beware of OOC-ness.**

* * *

_**"As the 315th class of our honorable Millifieore empire's Military Academy, we are the elite chosen to be potential soldiers of Hohburg Fort. Let us all endeavor to become superb fighters who will not bring shame to the name of the empire." **  
_

Mochida smirked smugly as he finished his 'awesome' speech, the principal smiled in approval, "Mochida-kun is always so reliable, I'd expect no less than the son of the honorable Gokudera family. I've heard the level of this year's students is very high." He commented to Nezu sensei who was seated next to him.

"This isn't the end, out of the 500 people taking the graduation exam, only 20 will pass and become honorable Begleiters." Nezu smiles fondly as he catches sight of a certain black haired teen and a brown haired 'boy', "From this point on, they'll face their greatest obstacle."

* * *

_"Look, it's chairman Checkface's favorite student."_

_"Always wearing that sour face, it pisses me off, acting so high and mighty."_

_"Can that Chibi even keep up in class?"_

_"Oi oi, don't piss him off, or else he'll get the chairman to expel you."_

_"Did you know he was a battle sklave before?"_

_"No way! You serious?" _

Tsunayoshi twitched slightly at the loud whispers of 'his' classmates. Oh how 'he' itched to release his sky attribute zaiphon on the poor souls who dared talk bad about 'him'. 'His' chocolate brown hair as untamed as ever framed 'his' heart shaped face as 'his' chocolate brown orbs with flecks of amber and gold scanned the hall 'he' was entering. Checking 'himself' for any crease or button unbuttoned that could scream imperfection, 'he' sidestepped to the left to avoid 'his' best friend for a year, Yamamoto Takeshi's death glomp.

"Tsuna~ Why won't you let me hug you?" Yamamoto whined like a spoiled child. His tanned skin and jet black hair were the heart throb of the female population (Not that there were a lot of them), he uses a rain attribute zaiphon and has a visible scar on his chin. Tsunayoshi sighed as 'he' shook 'his' head at 'his' friend's antics, 'his' hands still busy with the file 'he' was sorting out and was required to bring to 'his' next class. Yamamoto simply grinned after he recovered and ruffled his friend's hair, marvelling at how deceptively soft it was despite it's spiky appearance.

"Let's eat lunch together, 'kay?" With that question, Tsunayoshi raised an eyebrow at 'his' friend, nodding as he knew even if he declined, the swordsman would still insist on it until 'he' agreed.

"You should really stop hanging around me, they'll start badmouthing you too..." Tsunayoshi murmured, 'his' voice as soft as a humming birds wing fluttering. But 'his' heart contradicted his words as 'he' felt ridiculously happy at Yamamoto's stubborn attitude.

* * *

"Class, today we'll be reviewing what Zaiphons are." Ignoring the collective groans and mumbles of complaint resounding throughout the lecture hall, Nezu sensei simply continued what he was paid to do. "Zaiphon, as you all know, is the ability to convert mana, the life energy that souls are believed to be made of, into various forms of energy. Zaiphon appears to be influenced by the emotion of the user, as the angrier the person becomes the more aggressive the words are written, so the stronger the attack. Each person's Zaiphon is unique, currently you are being taught to control the flames residing in your hearts, each flame has a different effect when converted into Zaiphon."

As Nezu droned on about the review of Zaiphon, he recalled a particular absentee and halted his lecture to turn to said student. "By the way, Sawada Tsunayoshi, you haven't been attending my practical skill lessons, it makes me sad..." Nezu joked, his smiling face slightly irritating the brunette.

"I am sure you've been informed that I was excused from all general practical lessons." Tsunayoshi retorted back, 'his' eyes staring straight back at 'his' teacher. Nezu simply huffed and went on with his lecture, obviously pouting.

"As I was saying, our dying will flames have a different effects once converted into Zaiphon, Lightning attribute Zaiphon protects rather than destroy, trapping the target in a barrier until someone of destructive Zaiphon destroys the victim. Sun attribute Zaiphon heals physical wounds but a skilled sun flame user will be able to heal psychological wounds as well. Cloud, Mist and Storm Zaiphon are all destructive Zaiphon which destroys anything the user aims his Zaiphon at, with Cloud attribute Zaiphon being the strongest attribute. Rain attribute Zaiphon is a neutral Zaiphon, in other words, it can be used to either attack or heal, mostly choose to use the latter as Rain attribute Zaiphon is a weak attack Zaiphon. The rarest type of Zaiphon is the Night attribute Zaiphon which is a Manipulative Zaiphon, it's not only effective in healing but it also makes a good destructive type Zaiphon too. " Nezu wrote down everything he had said on the board using his Storm attribute Zaiphon.

Tsunayoshi frowned when 'he' realized Nezu left out one more attribute Zaiphon. 'He' raised 'his' hand and voiced out 'his' question. "Nezu-sensei? What about the Sky attribute Zaiphon?" Nezu raised an eyebrow before he turned and laughed at his mistake.

"Ah, yes, I seemed to have missed out that one, thank you Tsunayoshi-kun." Nezu then proceeded to explain the Sky attribute Zaiphon. "The Sky attribute zaiphon, is a very rare and rather hard Zaiphon to control. This Zaiphon is not only capable of healing both mental and physical injuries, but it is also considered the best destructive Zaiphon amongst all the attribute Zaiphons. Some users can use more than one flame attribute but even that is rare in itself."

* * *

As Nezu continued his lecture, the teens behind Tsunayoshi started snickering as they gossiped about the brunette who was seated in front of them, alone. "Psh, Checkface's dog gets special treatment huh? Must be awful if he an enemy injures him " Gokudera Mochida sneered as he pointed his thumb lazily at the said brunette, who was trying to keep 'his' temper in check. 'Must not kill, must not kill, must not kill...' Tsunayoshi chanted over and over in 'his' mind. Mochida's underling simply snickered.

"It's a level-up from being a sklave." He commented, an evil grin marring his features. Yamamoto, who sat behind them got tired of letting them trample all over his friend and used his rain attribute Zaiphon to blow some Magazines towards the students.

"Nezu-sensei~ Mochida-san brought porn to school, how awful~" Yamamoto called out, clearly satisfied for avenging his friend's wounded pride. Nezu glanced at the porn books the back haired teen was trying to cover up and gave Mochida a reprimanding glare. "It would seem so... Gokudera Mochida-kun, to the principal's office after school!" Nezu boomed, his face held disappointment as his second best student tried pathetically to explain himself.

* * *

Yamamoto pressed his face against the glass window of their school and watched with child-like wonder the fast flying hawkziles in flight. "Woah! That's so cool! Tsuna! Come take a look at this!" Tsunayoshi sighed as 'he' complied with what Yamamoto told 'him' to do. 'He' stared at the building that would soon be 'his' and Yamamoto's work place. "Ne, Tsuna..." The brown haired brunette turned to face 'his' best friend with a questioning look. "Once we pass the exams we'll both be accepted into Hohburg fort, right...?" Yamamoto turned to his friend, a determined smile on his face.

"I'm... I'm gonna fight for the empire and protect my family!" Yamamoto declared, Tsunayoshi smiled crookedly, 'Family... huh...' Tsunayoshi thought, 'his' eyes sad. "You... still don't remember anything of your past, Tsuna?" The brown haired boy in question simply shook 'his' head, a sigh escaping through his parted peach pink lips.

_"Hey is it true that some people DIE in every graduation examination?" _

_"Yeah... we should toughen up so we won't get sent to the hospital!" _

Upon hearing that, Yamamoto sank into depression mode, holding his chin as his old scar started throbbing painfully. "AGH! I hate hospitals!" Yamamoto yelled as he held his old scar. Tsunayoshi raised and eyebrow before he patted his friend on the back.

"I'll train with you so you won't get injured enough to get into a hospital." Tsunayoshi smiled, very VERY slightly, causing Yamamoto to gulp nervously.

* * *

"Come at me more seriously, Yamamoto!" Tsunayoshi smirked as 'he' summoned a barrier of protective Zaiphon. The swordsman in question simply smirked back and fired a string of destructive rain Zaiphon towards the brunette. "Hah! You think a clumsy attack like that will hit me?" Yamamoto simply grinned and pointed to the ground. The Zaiphon had implanted itself on the ground, spelling out a word that Tsunayoshi obviously took serious offense at. 'Chibi'.

"Why you-!" Yamamoto gave him a cheeky grin.

"Those are my feelings for 'ya! Accept them will you?" Yamamoto laughed at Tsunayoshi bushed heavily, before 'he' summoned 'his' sky Zaiphon.

"Well! I've got PLENTY of things I want to say to you!" Tsunayoshi yelled back in anger, attacking Yamamoto with string after strings of sky Zaiphon.

"WAH! So violent!" Yamamoto teased which only served to fuel the shorter of the pair's anger even more. This continued for several hours and neither noticed the sun beginning to rise until the bell for morning assembly rung.

* * *

Both boys had visible bags underneath their eyes as they had both trained for the whole night. Tsunayoshi mumbled under 'his' breath, "Idiot..." Yamamoto only responded with a sheepish 'sorry'.

"Okay -heart-, today will finally be the day when everyone will take the graduation examinations~" A woman dressed in the standard black military uniform, with her fiery red hair tied into a neat bun with strands falling out announced cheerfully. "Please form into groups of ten and enter separate assembly halls~" The woman called, Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto scrambled to assemble as Team A. The group was then led into a dome-like hall, the woman from earlier was standing next to a lever, she smiled at the group as the door behind them shut closed, denying them any exits. Yamamoto had a nervous smile on his face. "Groups of ten...? Just what are they trying to make us do?"

"Okay -heart-, listen up Team A~ For the graduation exam you must defeat this prisoner~ -heart-" She smiled happily as her gloved hand pushed down the lever. The mechanism clicked and clanked, making a rather loud noise as it raised the caged fence that kept the exam specimen in it's prison. It was a monster like being, with a brown eye patch slung over his right eye and dressed in a red leotard, shackles adorned his wrists and feet as they branded him as a prisoner. "If you don't kill him," The woman continued, really Tsunayoshi couldn't be bothered to remember her name. "or abandon your comrades, you will fail so be careful~ -heart-"

One of the brave fools or just an unbelievably reckless idiot, smiled nervously as he tried to calm his comrades. "Come on now, don't be such a pussy! I'm sure that's just another projection like the one we used in training right?" His fingers shaking, he flicked a rubber band at the Prisoner's forehead.

"Ho... This year's brats are pretty energetic, I'm really gonna enjoy breaking you guys~" He glared, an angry smirk plastered on his horrendous face as he located his first target, the boy who flicked that rubber band.

"HIII! H-He's real!" The boy shrieked in fear as he almost soiled his pants, Tsunayoshi was behind him, looking very much bemused. 'Really... These guys are idiots...' Yamamoto who was next to 'him' just stared at the prisoner. 'Wonder how we're gonna defeat that guy...'

The red haired woman decided to add a comment into this scene. "Now now~ Everyone should join forces and put everything they've learned into practical use~ Otherwise you might really get killed~ -heart-" Okay, that woman was really starting to piss 'him' off now. Tsunayoshi sighed through 'his' nostrils in annoyance.

"Okay then~ With that, let the exam begin~ -heart-" The woman announced through an intercom.

* * *

No sooner were those words uttered, the shackles were released as the Prisoner let loose his rage. It wasn't long before every teen who had not summoned their attribute Zaiphon were flung towards the nearest wall. Yamamoto thought, 'Can't lose to him...' And chanced a glance at Tsunayoshi when another teen was flung towards the wall behind him.

"Hey... don't dawdle around like a bunch of half-assed turtles." The prisoner mocked, his face smug as Yamamoto turned to face him with Tsunayoshi. He swung his fist down on the ground, causing a tremor to resound around the examination hall. Luckily Yamamoto and Tsunayoshi had the sense to dodge it by jumping out of the way, the other unfortunate ones were knocked out by flying debris or were running for their lives. "Whenever the great me beats up one of you guys..." He pauses his sentence to smash a candidate to the ground before continuing. "My jail time gets reduced!"

Landing on the dome's mirror-like wall, Tsunayoshi observed 'his' enemy, 'his' zaiphon keeping 'him' in place. 'This guy... he may not look like it but he's fast...!' Tsunayoshi grits 'his' teeth as the prisoner continues to beat up the candidates. "Pathetic..." Tsunayoshi murmured as 'he' sweatdropped, they seriously didn't learn anything in their practical training? Out of the corner of 'his' eye, Tsunayoshi spies a certain black haired boy of the Gokudera family banging desperately on the mirror walls. "Truly... Pathetic..." Tsunayoshi sighed.

* * *

"Salute!" A line of soldiers snapped to attention when they realized who was heading in their direction. The footsteps were gradually increasing in volume as a group of military soldiers, the Black Orchids, the elite group of the army rounded the corner. The principal bows respectfully as he addresses the group. "Welcome and thank you for coming, Chief-of-Staff, Bermuda-sama."

The said man simply stared coldly at the examination hall, dressed smartly in his military uniform with not even a seam out of place. His narrowed grey eyes slowly drank in the scene going on in the exam. He turns to the woman with fiery red hair and questions in a baritone that could make woman melt into disgusting puddles. "How are the students this year? Do they at least have a backbone?"

Flustered at being in the chief-of-staff's presence, the woman stutters out a reply. "Y-Yes well-" She was cut off when another student was once again slammed onto the mirror, the blood from his injuries smudging the glass as the body slumped down lifelessly. Next to the fallen student was a teenager who was desperately banging on the glass mirrors, trying to get help. "HELP ME! HE'S GONNA KILL ME!" Mochida bawls in a lamentable fashion.

Bermuda von Veckenschteinsimply scoffs at his weakness, "How unsightly..."

* * *

The prisoner seems to have noticed Mochida's incessant thumping on the mirrors and turns his bloodshot eyes at his next victim. He smirks as he realizes that the black haired boy probably failed to notice that he was targeted as the next victim and charged with inhuman speed that a troll like him should not even manage towards the back haired boy. His target was violently shoved out of the way and replaced with a brown haired 'boy'. The prisoner simply smirked and grabbed the brown haired 'boy' instead, proceeding to clench his fist so hard it'll break the 'boy's bones.

"Tsuna!" His black haired friend yelled and ran towards the troll, jumping before he slammed down his leg onto the monster's arm, breaking the bone. Tsunayoshi did the same with the wrist, kneeing the wrist and effectively breaking the fragile bone. The agonizing pain was enough for the prisoner to release Tsunayoshi. As soon as the said 'boy' gracefully landed on 'his' feet, a single sentence that had been engraved in 'his' mind since 'he' was put under Chairman Checkerface's care flashed through his mind. 'Do not be compassionate Tsunayoshi, for a female battle sklave, that is your greatest weakness.' It is true, Tsunayoshi is, in actual fact, a female but for certain circumstances she concealed her gender and entered the Military Academy as a boy.

As Yamamoto jumped to kick the prisoner brutally in the eye, Tsunayoshi sent a series of punches to the gut which broke the prisoner's ribcage. Both attacks were too much for the prisoner to handle, and the monstrous man stumbled backwards. As if to will the prisoner to submit to her clear order, "Give in." Tsunayoshi summoned a string of storm attribute zaiphon, encircling the prisoner's neck, cutting off his supply of oxygen and messing with his windpipe, bringing the giant to his knees. "If you so much as move, I'll kill you. Give in." Tsunayoshi repeats.

"The exam is still not over," Nezu sensei stepped into the hall, his jet black orbs observing Tsunayoshi's every movement. "I'm sure Scarlett," 'Oh, so that's her name!' Tsunayoshi thinks, her hand never leaving the prisoner, the storm zaiphon continues to suffocate the troll. "have informed you that this prisoner must be killed." Tsunayoshi simply stares at her teacher with uninterested eyes, before turning away from the man completely. Retreating her Zaiphon, she continued her reply to Nezu.

"He's not our real enemy, there's no reason to ki-" No sooner had the words left her lips, a night attribute zaiphon sliced through the air and beheaded the prisoner. Blood gushed out like a geyser and splashed onto Tsunayoshi's face whose eyes are wide with shock. She turned to face a man, he was handsome but Tsunayoshi was never one to fall for physical appearances, he had narrowed grey eyes which seemed to see into one's soul, his lips were pulled into a straight line as he retreated his hand from summoning the Night Zaiphon.

"You're too slow." Tsunayoshi felt a shiver run down her spine and had to press down the urge to soothe her goosebumps beginning to form on her arms. The voice was a low baritone, one that most women would drool over but it held no emotions in it almost as if he was... heartless. Scarlett hurriedly spoke through the intercom as Bermuda retreated back to his headquarters.

"T-The examination is over!" Tsunayoshi just continued staring after the group. Each one was odd in their own way, there was an ever smiling white haired man, a green haired man who carried a girl with blue hair which seemed comfortable to just sleep, a red haired man who kept saying an odd combination of words and a green haired boy who was about his age, carrying a torn stuffed bunny. 'Who... who was that guy...?' Tsunayoshi stared, even though Bermuda and his crew had long since disappeared into the hallways.

* * *

**That night, in Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto's dorm room. **

"There were 19 people accepted today... including us..." Yamamoto sighed, his arm was currently being bandaged by his best friend. "I'm really pathetic... I'm still shaking..." Tsunayoshi glares (read: pouts) at Yamamoto before tightening her friend's bandage a little too hard causing the tanned teen to yell out in pain. "Ow ow! Hey, can't you be more gentle?"

"We were lucky to be able to get away with small injuries since it was an exam, but if we were in actual combat it would have been worse." Tsunayoshi retorts as she finishes dressing her friend's wound and tosses the roll of bandages towards her friend.

"I'd never thought you'd be the one to help Mochida though. Even he loses face against your bravery." Yamamoto chuckles as he watches the blush spread across Tsunayoshi's face like wildfire. Really, sometimes he forgets that Tsunayoshi is actually a girl and mistakes her for the boy which she was supposed to be. The girl across him mumbles a reply.

"T-That's not true..." She fiddles with her fingers, an action that rarely happens since the girl is rarely seen to have exposed her flustered and embarrassed expression to public. "My body moved on it's own accord." Yamamoto grins and he reaches out, his hand landing on his friend's mop of fluffy hair and ruffles it, making it look more wild and messier than it already is.

"Don't say that, best buddy." Yamamoto's smile was so dazzling, it blinded the brown haired girl as she smiled slightly. "I'm proud of you!"

"Hey... Yamamoto, you know that... I was a sklave before right?" Yamamoto nods, his eyes worried and tense as he wonders about the sudden questions. "Not just any sklave, but a battle sklave, I was sold to the army when I was very young. I... I never knew the 'love' of a family..." She fiddles with her fingers again, before she continues. "But because you treat me as your 'best buddy'... I thought... think... it is the same as the 'love' of a family." A few drops of water make their way onto her mattress and she looks up to see a teary-eyed Yamamoto, whose tears were falling.

"Damn it! Tsuna! Why must you always make me cry?" Tsunayoshi becomes flustered as she tries to remedy her friend's tears.

"W-Why are you crying anyway?" Tsunayoshi asks as she hands Yamamoto a handkerchief.

"You suddenly said something so touching that I didn't know how to react!" Yamamoto whines, his tears continued to run down his cheeks and onto his friend's bed. "But this is the first time you'd said something like that, so... I'm really happy." Yamamoto smiles before an idea pops into his mind. "Alright! Let's make a best-friend oath, if you ever get into a pinch in the battlefield I will never abandon you! I swear by the name of god that if we die, we'll die together!"

Smiling as she knuckle bumps Yamamoto, she nods shyly. In her mind, Tsunayoshi silently swears an oath on her own. 'Since Yamamoto swears to it... God...I will also swear by your name that for Yamamoto... I'd do anything!'

* * *

_A man, clothed in white robes fit for royalty, his blond hair swaying gently in the wind as the snow fell. He smiles at Tsunayoshi and the brown haired girl notices the necklace, with a large red orb set in the middle. The man begins to speak. "I'm sorry Tsunayoshi... for not being able to be there for you all the time." The necklace jangles as each chime that was attached to the golden accessary was knocked into one another. Tsunayoshi glances down and realizes that she had apparently shrunk, her body was that of a young child's._

_She looked up again to stare at the man. The blonde only smiled sadly in response before he turned his back on the girl, his mouth moving as he continued his previous sentence. "Someday, the time will come when you will understand your true mission." His footsteps could be heard as he placed each alternate foot before the other, the snow crunching beneath the soles of his boots. Each step took the blonde further away from the brown haired girl. _

_Tsunayoshi's eyes widen in surprise and confusion, "**Why are you saying this to me? Who are you!" **As Tsunayoshi moves to run towards the retreating figure of the man, she slips and falls onto a puddle of familiar yet unrecognizable red liquid. The man continues talking, his back still turned on the little girl as he continues to head towards an unknown destination. "When the time comes I will definitely..." The words following were unclear and Tsunayoshi stares after the man before staring at her small hands.__**  
**_

_'**Wha... this... what is this...?**' She gazed at her hands, her palms were stained a bright crimson that it looked as if it were glowing. '**It's... red... so red...'**_

* * *

Tsunayoshi, dressed smartly in her boy's uniform, jogged along the corridors. Her report regarding her personal information tucked neatly underneath her arm as she made her way hurriedly towards Nezu sensei's office. 'I can't believe that I forgot to give Nezu sensei my report! Better hurry...' She was distracted from her urgent task at hand when she heard her name being mentioned. 'They're talking about... me?'

"Sawada Tsunayoshi from group A... He does possess great talent." A voice spoke, Tsunayoshi frowns as she recognizes the voice as the principal. "If he keeps this up, then surely he can be a cadet of the 'Eye of Mikhail'..." The principal trailed off as one of the officers voiced his concern.

"But what of the stone that disappeared during our battle with our enemy country, Vongola?" The officer spoke, his tone sharp but anxious, as if intimidated.

Tsunayoshi had leaned in, her report long forgotten in her hand, as she continued to eavesdrop. Confused thoughts running through her head, 'Cadet...? What are they talking about? Wasn't I supposed to be a Beglieter...?'

"Raphael is still resonating. The stone must still be around even now." The cold voice which Tsunayoshi identified as Bermuda, the head-of-chief of the elite squad, the Black Orchids. Another voice spoke up, his tone slightly scared and even worried.

"But Autopsies were performed on all of Vongola's royalty, and the stone wasn't there." He paused as if contemplating if he should or should not continue his sentence, before deciding on the former. Before he could get a word past his lips, he was rudely interrupted by another man next to him. "We may have overlooked a blood relative of theirs." A clink and a familiar piece of gold jewelry which Tsunayoshi could have sworn she saw somewhere before was produced, the charms creating a harmony of gentle jangles. "If it is the original..." At this Tsunayoshi felt a sharp throb in her head, she winced, gasping when the pain came too unexpected and unwelcome. "Then this is the necklace which belonged to the King of Vongola."

Her eyes widen as bits of her strange dreams started flashing through her eyes, each scene starting to make more sense as Tsunayoshi clutched her head and almost yelled in pain. Tears formed as she remembered, she remembered the bloodbath where in many, too many, innocent villagers and brave soldiers were sacrificed, clothing the ground in a layer of red liquid. She remembered watching helplessly as she watched her father being seized and brutally sliced into two, his blood pouring onto the floor as his body fell lifelessly onto the ground. 'Ah... that's...' Tsunayoshi's hands clutched her head as tears poured down her cheeks. 'Papa...'

A scene flashed before her eyes, it was her as a child, clothed in white robes that puffed slightly and with orange linings, she was giggling, something she did not do for a long time, as she reached for her father's face in child-like wonder. Her father was smiling happily as he picked her up and held her high, as if she were a trophy meant for admiration. "I will definitely come get you." The words, which were unclear in her dream finally made itself known as Tsunayoshi's eyes darkens. 'That time... the one who was standing next to Papa was...' Her heart pounded noisily in her ears as a fogged memory comes to mind.

The man had a mop of silvery grey hair with piercing grey eyes to match which glinted dangerously in her memory. Her blood boiled as the one man she loathed with every fibre of her being stood with his back facing her in the room, clutching her trembling right arm, she summoned a cloud Zaiphon. Bermuda simply commented. "It seems a rat has been eavesdropping." With that, Tsunayoshi burst through the door, her eyes wide with fury and hatred as she summoned a shield of lightning Zaiphon and launched herself at the infuriating man in front of her, screaming incoherent words.

Before she could get into even an arm's length of the man, her entire body was slammed harshly towards the ground by a smiling white haired man. "No no this won't do~" He stated in a sing-song manner, a katana which was obviously not his was wedged in between Tsunayoshi's face and her outstretched hand. "If you stand up against Bermu-tan then I'll have to kill you~" Tsunayoshi wriggled under his death grip, her hatred-filled orbs flashed amber as she concentrated on the grey haired man before her. The pain in her head, due to the sudden recollection of her memories, was not really helping much in this situation as she struggled under the smiling man.

Bermuda stepped before her, his eyes glinting dangerously like in her memory. "Why were you aiming for me?" Tsunayoshi glared at him in full force, her eyes now completely a burning amber. She screamed in pain when her head throbbed once more, tears streaming down her face as she faced her parent's murderer. "Come to think of it... he was the sklave we picked up in the Vongola kingdom." He murmured in recognition as he looked down at Tsunayoshi's face.

"Keep him in the prison until I got there to collect him, if he shows to happen to know something... make him spill everything."

* * *

A shadow ducked behind a pillar as a patrolling guard turned it's direction, when the guard turns his back on the pillar, the shadow swiftly changes his position. Running for the nearest wall, the moonlight shines on his face to reveal Yamamoto. His face was pulled into a worried frown as he thought to himself. 'If anyone finds out what I'm up to... I'll be killed!' Yamamoto gulps nervously but the thought of that afternoon quickly banishes any anxiety he felt.

* * *

**Flashback**

_"Are these all of Sawada Tsunayoshi's belongings?" The guards interrogate and Yamamoto, still in his saluting position nods an affirmative. Worry overcomes any logic and he blurts out the question he had been dying to ask. _

_"Um... is he alright?" Yamamoto asks nervously. The guard shifting through Tsunayoshi's small box of belongings spares Yamamoto a glance before resuming his duty and answering the tanned teen's question. _

_"He's done for, he had went against **Veckenschtein**." He was quickly shushed by his partner but the damage had already been done, Yamamoto's eyes had dilated with worry and fear for his friend's safety._

* * *

"That dignitary isn't back yet... so that means she must still be in here..." Yamamoto sneaks into the prison hallway, he was startled when he saw a gloved hand peeking out from a corner. Lying next to the unconscious guard was a ring of keys, some of which were broken.

Yamamoto swallows thickly when he notices the thick smell of blood wafted into his nose. He turns the corner and almost shrieks in shock as he sees corpses of the guards which were supposed to be guarding her slumped into bloody piles around the room. His eyes turn towards the small brunette who was in the centre of the bloody circle. Her hair, which was always untamed as ever, was even wilder than usual. Her hands, her small hands were stained with blood and restrained by a steel shackle which connects both the arms together with a silver chain. Her uniform coat has been stripped off at some point, leaving her only in a torn blouse and the black slacks she wore underneath the coat.

"Tsuna... you..." Yamamoto murmurs as he stares at his friend in shock. The brunette flinches and spun around quickly, her eyes wide with terror as she faced her roommate. Yamamoto cringes, he had never seen his friend like this, she was always very quiet, calm and sophisticated. Her lips part as she tries too gather her voice but it comes out in a cracked whisper.

"I'm sorry... I don't think I'll be able to fulfill the oath to you... Thank you for every-" Before she could finish her sentence, the black haired teen had grabbed his friend's chained wrists and dragged her out of the prison. "NO! STOP! I DON'T WANT TO GET YOU INVOLVED! THIS IS MY PROBLEM!" The girl cries desperately, trying but failing to wriggle out of Yamamoto's iron grip on her shackled wrist. Tears fell and ran down her cheeks as she as well as her best and only friend sprinted across the hallways, which was strangely deserted.

"Are you that reckless Tsuna? You could have gotten killed!" Tsunayoshi's bangs shielded her brown orbs as her friend continued to yell angrily and exasperatedly at her. "Anyone who opposes Bermuda will never lie to see the light of another day! For now, just focus your attention to getting away and survive!" He gripped his friend's hand tightly, gritting his teeth. "Don't you dare think of anything else!" Tsunayoshi, who had been silent ever since Yamamoto yelled at her, purses her lips and stares at their intwined hands through tear-filled eyes. She grits her teeth as she silently muttered a near-silent prayer. 'If there really is a god somewhere willing to listen to my plea... please...! Protect Yamamoto!' By now the hallways are bursting with activity, as Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto sprinted for their lives, the brown haired girl caught snippets of the orders of the guards.

"The cadet's escaped from his cell!"

"Look for him!"

Yamamoto's voice brought her out of her reverie. "There are two swiped hawkziles up ahead! If we could make it until there...!" Yamamoto trails off as two guards appear to block their path.

"You two! Identify yourselves! Halt!" One of the guards barked but his warning was pitifully ignored as both teens simply jumped over their weak barricade and onto the hawkziles. Both Yamamoto and Tsunayoshi started their engines at the same time with their Zaiphon, they quickly flew with lightning speed out the open gates of the academy. Meanwhile, the guards were busy panicking.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU GUARDS?"

"Don't let them escape!"

"Close the gates!"

Bermuda stepped out onto the balcony, his grey eyes narrowing with slight irritation. "What a fuss they're making..." Bermuda mutters. As he steps onto the edge of the railings, Sawada Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto Takeshi flew past him. His eyes widen very slightly as he watches the 'boy' zoom past his bedroom balcony, 'his' eyes were not their usual brown... they were a fiery amber with flecks of gold! He lifts his hand and attacks the 'boy' with his Cloud Zaiphon, the 'boy' manages to set up a protective barrier over 'his' friend but took the damage on 'his' right shoulder instead. His companion cried out in terror, his eyes wide and he supports his friend.

The two hawkziles soon became black dots and then, finally vanished from his sight. 'To put up a barrier around his friend instead of himself... What an interesting prey Sawada Tsunayoshi makes...' He stares at his hand and smirks very slightly. Two guards nervously reported that they would soon be in pursuit of Sawada Tsunayoshi and his accomplice. Bermuda sighs and turns, questioning the guards all the way. "Where is Chairman Checkerface?" The guard responded that the mentioned man was away from the office.

"... Let him go then... we'll find him soon enough..." Bermuda replies, his expression impassive as he moves out of his bedroom, slipping on clean white gloves as he exits. 'Don't think you'll be able to run away from me that easily... Sawada Tsunayoshi...' He thinks, a sadistic smirk adorning his cruelly handsome features.

* * *

Yamamoto flew next to Tsunayoshi, his eyes wide with concern and worry for the injured brunette. Said girl was trying to stay awake but the agonizing pain she felt at her right shoulder was enough to render her unconscious. Her grip on the handles of the hawkzile loosened and the brunette plunged downwards, Yamamoto plunging in after her, yelling her name. "TSUNA!"

* * *

Meanwhile three priests were enjoying their rides back to the church, one was dressed in a long sleeved black trench coat over a black turtleneck shirt and black trousers accompanied by black boots, the hood pulled back to reveal a mop of unruly spiky green hair accompanied by jet black orbs hidden behind rectangular spectacles. He tutted as he watched a blonde haired priest riding higher than he should have.

"Colonello, I realize you are eager to meet your maker but surely you understand if you were to cause a landslide there's an incredibly high chance you'll bury us along with you?" He shouts, his tone exasperated and joking. The blonde haired man simply grinned back in response, his collared coat was open showing a bit of his muscular chest, paired with black trousers and combat boots. A silver dog-tag and the holy cross hung over his neck.

"Don't be such a killjoy, Verde! I'm a man of thrills! It's a HELL lot more fun up here!" The blonde haired man grins and switches gears to go faster, deliberately trying to anger the green haired priest. Another man, one with his long hair plaited into a long braid, smiles serenely as he watches the blonde riding higher than he should. His feathered black coat fluttered gracefully in the wind as he continued to smile. The chinese robes beneath his coat was visible as the wind tugged at the coat's ends.

"They say only idiots and crazy people like heights." The man comments, his smile never leaving his face. Colonello, overhearing the Chinese man's comment, grins and floors the gas pedal. Verde shakes his head in exasperation, shooting his companion an irritated glance. The man shrugs, feigning nonchalance but the mischeivious grin touching his lips told another story. Verde only shakes his head in reply before looking up to watch their reckless friend trying to get himself killed, the green haired man frowns when he spots a silhouette above the blond. It was an odd shape, almost... human. Verde's eyes widen as he realizes that someone was indeed falling, to their imminent death no less. Another silhouette follows the first, this one the shape of a human riding a Hawkzile. His eyes widen further when he realizes that both were headed for the blonde idiot who was headed right in their path.

Just as he was about to part his lips to call out a warning, or something to alert his friend, the two vehicles and three humans, or at least one WAS human, crashed and all plunged into the canal. Verde and Fon, glanced at one another with alarm and both rushed towards where their friend crash landed. Colonello sits up and groans as he massages his head, in his arms is an unconscious brown haired brunette, 'his' body was littered with bruises along with a rather recent and severe shoulder injury. Not far away is a black haired teen, also rendered unconscious from their crash, despite the rough landing the boy manage to pull through with only a few minor injuries, the other in his arms was not so lucky.

"Colonello! Are you still alive? Serves you right for not listening to me if you died!" Verde calls and the mentioned blonde felt a vein pop. Really, can't he be more concerned about his friend's well being? He looks down to see the raven haired teen awake and staring at him, then he immediately sits up.

"Tsuna is hurt! You have to help her!" The boy shouts and Colonello raises an eyebrow, he looks down in his arms and was immediately alerted that the 'boy' in his arms, is indeed, a girl.

"The hell?"


	2. The 7th district

**Sherry here~ When reading 'Flames and Kors' please ensure that your room is adequately lit and that your face is of considerable distance from the computer. I own neither 07-ghost nor Katekyo Hitman Reborn. **

* * *

_As I find myself losing consciousness, I could have sworn snow from my hometown was falling, they were so gentle... so very gentle... that it was almost cruel. _

* * *

_"Kill your emotions and fight Sawada Tsunayoshi." A man wearing a mask instructs, his voice strict and firm, tolerating nothing of nonsensical value. _

_"I heard he used to be a sklave!" The taunting and cruel words of her classmates caused her hands to itch for her crossbow._

_"My name's Yamamoto Takeshi, what's yours?" A smiling boy with tanned skin and a scar on his chin asks. _

_"Will you place that boy in my custody?" The cold voice of Bermuda._

_"Bermuda-kun, just ignore that sklave boy." The officer's arrogant and high-and-mighty voice made the brown haired girl want to slap him silly before summoning her sky zaiphon and making sure he never saw the light ever again. _

_"You don't remember anything?" _

_"May God watch over you, I pray that at least you survive." Ah... what a soothing voice, whose is it?_

_"Wait! Dad!" Oh... this is... my voice as a child..._

_"Someday, the time will come when you understand your true mission." Papa... What are you talking about? A mission?_

"-up... WAKE UP!"

* * *

Tsunayoshi's eyes snap open to find themselves staring at an unfamiliar face. Her brown eyes drink in the sight of a handsome blonde man with sky blue eyes, momentarily dazed by the sudden wake-up call. "Oh. She's finally opened her eyes, kora. Yo, kid, how's your wo-" Before the blonde man could finish his sentence, it was rudely cut off when the girl kicks him in the gut, the breath getting knocked out him. "Oomhf! K-Kora" He groans as he hits the ground. The girl looks around frantically, her eyes wild with panic and ablaze with a fiery passion to protect. Her eyes and on the shocked black haired teen and she almost melts with relief.

"Y-Yamamoto!" The girl runs towards her friend, tears of happiness rolling down her cheeks as she pounces on the boy. "Y-You're okay! I'm so glad!" Yamamoto laughs and embraces the girl, his hand running through her unruly hair.

"Hiya, Tsuna!" The boy answers happily, a blush adorning his cheeks as he realizes that this is the first time he had ever hugged his female friend. The brunette was promptly plucked out of his embrace when a certain blonde recovered from the girl's punch, he held the girl by the collar and held her at eye-level. The look on his face was murderous and Yamamoto feared for the safety of his friend, not to mention crush.

"You... Can you at least be more gentle to the man who saved your arse, kora?" The blonde man glares at the girl who glares (Read: Pouts) back. A kick was promptly delivered to the blonde man's head and the girl was lifted from his arms.

"IS it fun to torment this tiny girl?" Verde asks, his tone irritated as he sets the girl down on the ground but continues grinding his foot into Colonello's head, a muffled 'You are misunderstanding kora...' was ignored. Yamamoto sweatdrops and Tsunayoshi simply continued to look absolutely clueless.

* * *

"Hello, My name is Verde and please ignore the idiot blonde over there." The green haired man, now named as Verde, smiles warmly at Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto. The latter smiles back and introduces themselves as well.

"Nice to meet you, Sawada-chan and Yamamoto-kun, my name is Fon." The black haired man gestures to a sulking blonde. "And his name is Colonello." Tsunayoshi ducks behind Yamamoto timidly as Colonello stares at her, peeping from behind her friend's back. Verde lifts an eyebrow at such cute behaviour from someone who had just kicked a person.

"You remind me of someone..." Verde mumbles as his mind wanders to a certain violet haired mermaid.

"Um... Verde-san, may I ask... where are we?" Tsunayoshi inquires, still partially hidden behind Yamamoto's back. The green haired man smiles and replies that they are at a church. "A-A church?" She asks, her voice quiet. Colonello grins as he reveals a porn magazine.

"Of course, we're clergymen after all, kora." He says proudly, flipping through the magazine which was quickly confiscated by the green haired priest next to him. "This is the Milliefieore church in the empire's 7th district." The blonde regards Tsunayoshi for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he asks, "Are you from the imperial army?" Tsunayoshi responded with a glare and Yamamoto's eyes hardens.

"No, we're different from them." Yamamoto replies, coldly. Verde pushes up his glasses in slight amusement.

"I saw the mark on the back of your neck." He begins, his eyes trained on the shocked brunette behind the tall black haired teen who stiffens. "You're a sklave aren't you?" Tsunayoshi's bangs shadows her eyes and she trembles behind Yamamoto. Verde leans forward and clasps her hands, a sad smile donning his lips. "Don't worry, it must be through God's gentle guidance that you've met us here. Let us offer you shelter!" Tsunayoshi makes a noise to protest but Verde pays her no heed. "The army uses those chains for their sklaves... I bet they're supposed to stay on until someone bought you." Fon eyes the girl sympathetically, his hands brushing against the girl's bruised skin.

"You must have been through a lot..." Fon mumbles, Tsunayoshi blushes cutely under his concern and the colour only deepens further when Colonello heaved her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Geez, if you guys had been imperial soldiers, I would have buried you both alive back there, kora..." He mumbles under his breath, grabbing the other boy and tucking him under his arm before leaving the room.

"Where are you going?" Verde calls after Colonello, who simply replies with the word 'Baths'.

* * *

"KYAH! What adorable lost lambs!" Tsunayoshi was placed gently on the ground next to Yamamoto who blushes at the group of girls dressed as sisters. One with orange hair and golden eyes tugged him into the room they were in, her lips parted as she continues her sentence. "Come, we must cleanse you and be rid of all your inner demons!" Yamamoto blushes hotly, his usually easy-going face pulled into an uncomfortable grimace as the sister continues to pull him into the bathroom.

Tsunayoshi was getting fussed over by two other sisters, one with beautiful pink flowing hair with a figure that had most men salivating and most women green with envy, the other was about her height if not slightly taller with brown hair. Their eyes scanned the girl before both squealed and pounced on the poor girl. "Kyah~~ She's so cute! I can't wait to dress her up!" Both said in sync and Tsunayoshi finds herself getting dragged into the room as well. "Oh/Hahi, you're wounded~ Don't worry we'll be gentle/desu~"

Colonello watches as both teenagers were dragged into the room by overly-hyperactive sisters and leans against a nearby wall, smirking. "Have fun you two~"

* * *

No less than fifteen minutes later, Yamamoto stumbled out of the bathroom, his face as red as a tomato and dressed in white trousers, black boots and a open white button up shirt. Colonello looks up from his porn magazine and raises an eyebrow at the flustered boy. Yamamoto's blush only deepens and the door opens again.

It was Tsunayoshi, still in chains of course since there was no key to free her from them, she was dressed in a white lolita outfit, it was off-shoulder with a corset like thing around her slim waist, the skirt flares out with plenty of lace and ruffles underneath, it stopped short just before her knees, an upside-down 'V' cut in front reveals more than six layers of ruffled fabric in the skirt, the ribbon at the end of the corset-like thing had thin tails which trail after the girl every step she took(Think Abyss from Pandora hearts, go google it~ XD). Ballerina lace-up shoes with slight heels adorn her slender legs, ending in white ribbons. A ribbon was braided into her hair and detached sleeves which covered half her palm hid half of her arm.

"I feel... ridiculous..." Tsunayoshi pouts, tugging curiously at the skirt. "I've never worn a skirt... for so long..." Tsunayoshi mumbles nostalgically, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Colonello whistles as he eyes Tsunayoshi, his lips pulling up into a smirk.

"Woo, don't you look good, kora." He teased, to his delight, Tsunayoshi's face heated up such that her ears are tinted pink, her voice seemed lost as she stared at him, her lips parting and closing as she struggled to collect herself. He was about to tease her further when the sisters who had dragged Tsunayoshi into the bath room exited the above mentioned room and linked arms with the still-chained girl.

"Come come~ Let us show you around the church~" They chorused, dragging the girl to god-knows-where. Yamamoto was then dragged after Tsunayoshi as well, this time by the orange haired sister who tugged him into the baths.

* * *

Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto gawked at the tall building, mesmerized by it's splendor. One of the sisters, the one with lustrous pink hair smiled warmly at both of them. "This must be your first time at Milliefieore Church. Come, we must gather at the large church in the centre of the district." The sister smiles. Both nodded, still slightly dazed but was both jolted out of their reverie when they came across a humongous bronze statue of a shinigami.

"Wah..." Tsunayoshi managed to squeak out while Yamamoto stared up at the bronze statue in child-like amazement. The three sisters smiled at the pair in understanding.

"Pretty big isn't it?" The sister with orange hair spoke, her voice filled with warmth as she gestures to the statue. "This is the guardian of Milliefieore church." She smiles at the statue for a moment before parting her lips once more to speak. "According to a Millennium old myth, the Shinigami Verloren committed a crime in the heavens and was forced to escape to earth. As a result of that, the hearts of these people on earth were invaded by this evil shinigami and slipped into despair." The sister frowns as if being fed something bitter and was not allowed to spit it out.

"What happened next?" Tsunayoshi found herself asking, her curiosity perked. Yamamoto smiled warmly at her, it was rare for Tsunayoshi to show her childishly curious side and when she does, it's always a cute sight.

"Lamenting over their suffering, the king of heavens dispatched 7 holy lights from the heavenly world in order to punish the wicked Verloren." The sister smiles at Tsunayoshi as one would with a curious child, and truth be told, the expression on Tsunayoshi's face was so similar to that of a child's that it was almost cruel. "They were called the 7 ghosts, they were said to have sealed the detestable Verloren on Earth."

Tsunayoshi frowns, a slight pang in her head causing her to wince slightly. "Seven... ghosts...?" She murmurs.

As if to relax the tense atmosphere surrounding the small brunette, Yamamoto pats the girl's hair. Instinctively, Tsunayoshi leans into his touch and smiles slightly, a light blush painting her cheeks. "Hahi! Rumor has it that even now, they appear at night to take naughty children away. How scary desu..." The brown haired sister adds. Tsunayoshi pales visibly as she stares wide-eyed at the brown haired sister.

"E-Eh? S-So, they really exist?" The girl asks, Yamamoto just continues his patting, smiling as Tsunayoshi seems to take the joke seriously.

"Haru has never seen them but they're really well-known desu!" The brown haired sister chirps, producing two boxes of dumplings. "Incidentally the street outside is overflowing with tourist shops desu. You should try the 'Shinigami' dumplings desu, they're very good desu!" The brown haired girl, now named as Haru smiles excitedly. The orange haired sister giggles into her hand at her friend's antics.

"This figure is called 'the statue of Zehel', there are six others who protect this land." The orange haired sister continues, walking away from the statues and towards an entrance where huge wooden ornate double doors stand protectively in their arch. "This church was erected in the centre and even now, many people worship god with ardent faith. This place..." The orange haired sister pushes open the doors which seem lighter than they look. "Supports the hearts of everyone in this nation."

Streams of sunlight flooded the room, illuminating the walls and casting a lovely shine to the golden pillars. A small stage where all the bishops chanted prayers is beneath the holy cross, a majestic statue carved out of splendid white marble. "Unaffiliated by others, this place..." The orange haired sister as well as the other two entwined their hands together and softly chanted prayers along with the bishops. "is 'God's territory..."

* * *

As the five people left the hall, Tsunayoshi was deep in thought, her bangs shielding her eyes, hiding the conflicted emotions the brunette had no wish to share with others. 'I'm glad to have escaped the clutches of the imperial army... but... what should I...' She chanced a glance at Yamamoto who was laughing at a joke Haru made, and smiled slightly. 'We.. do now? It's almost unbelievable to think that... my hometown... was the overthrown kingdom of Vongola...' A thought crossed her mind, a very nasty thought which made the girl cringe visibly, thankfully no one seemed to notice. 'But... why was Papa... murdered by that guy...?' She looked up from beneath her long eyelashes at the tanned teen. 'Yamamoto... I wish I could tell you... but...' Tsunayoshi's train of thought was disrupted when a panicking woman clothed in a brown cloak over a green dress ran towards the group of Bishops in the grand hall they were in previously.

"Please! Please help me! M-My child!" She pleaded, her arms cradling a small child, the child had a mop of shaggy blonde hair, his eyelids were closed tightly, his lips pursed as if in pain, he was dressed in a simple beige robe. The bishops crowded around the woman to examine the child. Verde's eyes narrowed as he recognizes the mark in between the child's collarbones.

"That's...!" Verde hurriedly ushered the woman into the central church as a crowd gathered to watch what was going on.

'What's going on?' Tsunayoshi thinks, her hand instinctively grabbed Yamamoto's sleeve, pulling herself closer to her friend's body. Yamamoto notices Tsunayoshi's discomfort and smiles assuringly at her, ruffling her hair slightly.

"It's rumored that this church has the unique ability to break Verloren's curse." An elderly man with wrinkles commented, his eyes passive. That has got Tsunayoshi's attention, so the seven ghosts are real?

"Verloren? I thought that was nothing but a fairy tale?" His partner asked, slightly confused and bewildered. Tsunayoshi leans in to hear more of their conversation.

"No, Verloren's curse exists, before he was sealed, that Shinigami released his demonic messengers. Even today, after one thousand years, those messengers take a person's soul in exchange for "three wishes", when a person makes a contract with Verloren's messenger, a mark appears on their chest." Tsunayoshi frowned, her eyebrows knitted in obvious confusion. 'Curse...? Contract...? What are they talking about?' Tsunayoshi pondered, her hand still gripping Yamamoto's sleeve.

Just then the shut doors of the grand hall was opened once more to reveal the same woman carrying the boy. "The curse is lifted kora!" Colonello announced, a boyish grin marring his handsome features, the crowd erupts into cheers while Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto glances at one another in obvious confusion. Fon smiles at the woman.

"Please be at ease and return home safely." Verde warns, the woman bows, tears of relief streaming down her face as she thanks the bishops repeatedly. She offers a thin envelope to Colonello.

"It's just a mere trifling but it's all I have as an offering." Collonello makes a move to reject the offering when Verde claps his hands around the woman's small ones, a smile on his face.

"Thank you very much." Tsunayoshi pales, a single thought runs through her head. 'An illegal business transaction! I've heard about it somewhere!'

"You bastard, why did you accept it kora!" Colonello spoke in a hushed whisper.

"We can feed a lot of starving people with this!" Verde hisses in retaliation.

At that moment, another figure emerges from the great hall, he was also clothed in a bishop robe the only difference being that the headpiece of the man was slightly more conical in shape and his robes had black collars with the holy cross stitched into the corners. The woman notices his presence and bows waist-low in gratitude.

"It's all thanks to you head-bishop Lancia, I am truly grateful for you help." The woman smiles. The man chuckles in response, lifting his head such that the sun shone on his scars on his right cheek.

"Your fierce spirit that fought to protect someone important to you was stronger than anything we could do." His lips curl up into a warm smile as he continues. "For you and your child, may god be with you two for all eternity." Tsunayoshi blinked in surprise as she felt nostalgia stir up in her heart, she clutched the fabric where her heart was situated at and frowned in confusion.

* * *

**Meanwhile at the canyon area where Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto crash landed. **

Military soldiers poked at the very much crushed and freshly-dug-out vehicle as they searched for possible clues that might have give them an inkling to where the escaped convict and his accomplice could have gone to. "So he and his friend DID land here..." One of the soldiers commented. "Their corpses hadn't been found within a 1 kilo radius of this place, so that means..." His friend intervenes before the soldier could continue his sentence.

"Well, I would expect nothing less from Chairman Checkface's student." The commanding officer, also a friend of the previous soldier, comments as he toes the broken vehicle with his foot. He frowns as he picks up a single rose with a silver ribbon before sighing and tossing it aside to comment on the wreck. "But man... this couldn't have been Tsunayoshi's doing, someone else must have courteously buried this thing in the ground." The soldier then notices something. "But it's weird though... I don't see any footprints leaving this area..."

"This is bad... then he might have sought refuge in that church..." He stares at the building before one of his subordinates came up to him.

"Sir! We can dispatch a group to investigate-"

"No, I would like to avoid that..." The commanding officer closes his eyes, a slight throbbing of his forehead started becoming more prominent. "The 7th district of Milliefieore empire is considered as 'God's territory'. The church upholds the laws of 'sanctuary', if someone, be it an ex-convict or a serial killer were to ask for patronage, their protection would be granted. Neither the government much less the military could do anything to them publicly." The man explains, adjusting the cuff of his sleeve.

"Ha... How clever of the empire's greatest church, it's a masterpiece." A soldier comments, an irritated sigh passing his lips. His commanding officer gives off a nonchalant shrug.

"Anyway, we're in a jam." The commanding officer than notices the paling look of one of his soldiers. He claps a hand on the man's shoulder, startling him out of his troubled thoughts and asked in a rather concerned tone of voice. "What's wrong, newcomer? You look pale, are you sick?" The man simply shook his head, his face still stark white.

"I just remembered a legend... My grandma used to tell me that there were monsters called the seven ghosts residing inside that church and that even now, it is said that the seven shinigamis are still slumbering beneath the building they call a holy sanctuary. So if we violate the law and try to force entry into that churc-" An arm clamps down on the soldiers's shoulder, scaring the living daylights out of him.

"Our souls will be eaten~" The commander states in a sing-song voice, a sadistic grin marring his features as he watches his subordinates flinch at his sudden comment. "Just kidding, I've never seen them either." Ignoring his subordinates irritated yells, he tips his cap in a way that it shields the light from his eyes. "Anyway, this just means it isn't time for us to make an appearance yet..."

* * *

Tsunayoshi bites her lower lip in frustration as she tries, in vain I might add, to reach a certain encyclopedia on a particularly high shelf in which her restraints prevented her to reach. 'Ugh... This shelf... is... taunting me...' She glares at the offending shelf who seemed to gloat at her as she tries to reach for the encyclopedia once more. 'I was surprised by the fact that I really didn't know anything about the outside world at all.' She mused, trying to wipe the gloating aura off the shelve's being as she reached for the encyclopedia again. 'I have to investigate! And learn all about the stuff that the school had failed to teach me!' Tsunayoshi reaches again, but was interrupted when a hand grabs the book and hands it to her instead.

"Huh? Oh, um... Thank you-" Her sentence died on her lips when she saw a doll... handing... her the... encyclopedia? "HIIIE!" She shrieks, more startled than anything else as she stumbles backwards only to have gravity force her body to plunge downwards, the doll reaches out to stop her from falling, a startled expression on her face. "Wah-!" She clenched her eyes shut, waiting for the harsh impact of the floor... but it never came. She opened her eyes and found herself to be in the arms of a certain blonde haired priest.

He jerks his head in the doll who was climbing down from the bookshelf, the encyclopedia in hand. "That doll's kind of freaky don't you think, kora." Colonello comments more than asked, Tsunayoshi noted. Weakly, Tsunayoshi thanked the man just as Verde came rushing in, asking if she was alright. She nods her affirmation weakly and almost flinched when the doll's feet touched the stone tiles of the library.

'That's... kind of freaky...' Tsunayoshi sweatdrops and had to resist the urge to flinch when the doll approached her. "U-Um... Verde-san? H-how is the doll able to move?" Tsunayoshi asked warily as she accepts the book from the doll. Verde smiled as he pats the doll on the head gently.

"Fufufu, through my love, of course, isn't she a darling?" He smiles fondly, Tsunayoshi's grip on the encyclopedia loosens as she timidly stares at the doll. 'Now that I look closely, she is quite cute...?' She mumbled, mostly to herself than to anyone else.

Verde peers at the book in her hand. "The Empire's military records for the past one hundred years, huh? Was that what you had been looking for?" He asks, his smile gentle as he pats Tsunayoshi on the head, causing the girl to blush slightly in response before she nods shyly.

"Yes... Thank-" Her thanks were swallowed as she felt herself be dragged forcefully out of the Library and into the hallways of the church. "W-What was that for?" She glares at the blonde priest as she touched her arm where she had peen pulled at.

"That was a close one... You show exceptional skill in finding that." Colonello praises. Tsunayoshi makes a confused sound before she flips open the book, before she could properly comprehend what monstrosity had Colonello hidden in the book, the encyclopedia was slammed shut by a blushing Yamamoto.

"Colonello-san! You're supposed to be a priest! Why are you reading this sort of novels!" Yamamoto blushes even further as he yanks the book out of Tsunayoshi's hands. The clergyman in question simply shrugs in response, a smug grin on his face.

"I can't look at it out in the open because of my occupation right? So, it's quite a problem, and there's only so much I can hide in my room so it's a problem, kora~" He explains in a sing-song kind of way and was soon met with a heavy 'encyclopedia' in his cheek, courtesy of Yamamoto.

"You being a bishop is a problem!" He shouts, his face a bright cherry red as he glances at Tsunayoshi who stares at him, very puzzled and confused. Colonello replies with an old saying. "If you want to hide a tree, hide it in the forest. Since you're the first one ever to find this book, I shall take you in as my disciple kora!" Colonello grins in satisfaction when Yamamoto's face burst into a darker shade of red.

"Listen when someone is talking, you perverted bishop!" Yamamoto turns to Tsunayoshi and claps his hands on the girl's shoulders. "Don't ever be alone with this guy, he'll corrupt your mind in less than ten seconds." He says seriously and Tsunayoshi found herself nodding.

"Speaking of which, make sure you don't tell anyone about this, kay? Especially that doll nerd gu-" Before he could finish his sentence a foot plants itself onto his head harshly, bringing the blonde's face to meet the concrete floor of the hallway. Yamamoto and Tsunayoshi sweatdrops as Colonello twitches on the floor.

* * *

"What are you investigating anyway, Tsunayoshi-chan?" Verde asks gently, the group of five, counting the doll were seated comfortably at a table near the library. The doll placed a saucer and a tea cup in front of Tsunayoshi before filling the cup with an aromatic liquid that could only be tea. Tsunayoshi stares at the cup before quietly replying to Verde's question.

"I want to know more about the war that took place ten years ago..." Colonello lights a cigarette as Verde stares silently at the girl. Tsunayoshi lifts the teacup to her lips, sipping her tea daintily as Yamamoto glances worriedly in her direction.

"According to written history," Verde started, Tsunayoshi looks up from her tea and Yamamoto shifts his attention to Verde. "As ancient as one thousand years ago, there existed two mighty countries in this world that held equal power, one was the Milliefiore empire, which fell under the protection of God known as the eye of Raphael, the other was the Vongola Kingdom, which fell under the protection of God known as the eye of Michael. In order to protect the peace of the world, both countries made a pact and it was upheld for a long time."

Verde pauses to wet his lips with a sip of his tea before he continued. "However, ten years ago, the Vongola kingdom broke the pact by trying to obtain both eyes. Their opposition against the Milliefieore empire led to their ruin. This was the truth that was recorded in history." Tsunayoshi was silent for a bit as Verde finished his recount of the written history that Tsunayoshi had long since memorized in her head.

A memory flashed in her mind. Two men, with an attire that could only belong to royal guards, were bowed before the king, also known as her father. One of the guards had collapsed, several arrows embedded into his back and Tsunayoshi had a hard time trying to convince herself that the man was unconscious and not dead. The other spoke in an urgent but respectful voice with a hint of remorse as he glanced at his fallen comrade. "The pact has been broken, your Majesty! You must flee at once!"

The king had responded with a firm yet gentle voice. "I will not run, my people will be the first to take refuge." His face was unreadable, his eyes covered by a convenient ray of sunlight as he stood up, his robes ruffling slightly. Tsunayoshi entwined her hands and bites her lower lip. Bringing her entwined hands to her face as if to hide the trembling, she questions, "Is that..." She hesitates but continues, "Is that... really the truth...?"

"What are you so worried about, princess?" Tsunayoshi winces at the nickname but made no move to interrupt the blonde priest as he continues, "There is never just one truth out there, the only difference between them is the number of people who had witnessed them. If you don't believe in the history," Colonello adjusts his headpiece here and grins at the girl. "Just believe in the world you see with your own eyes." Tsunayoshi's eyes widened and she stares at Colonello in shock.

* * *

Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto were walking down the hallways of the church again, with no particular destination in mind. The former had a dazed look on her face as if contemplating anything but her surroundings whilst the latter sent her concerned gazes every now and then.

'Why didn't have any memories of my past until now? Why am I standing here now? Think, Think, think, don't stop thinking. I want to know what's real...I want to know the truth...!' She absentmindedly pushes the double doors in front of her apart, her companion now staring at her with concern evident in his eyes. They ended up in the gardens, it was beautiful, the vegetation was nicely trimmed and healthy, flowers of all kinds bloomed in different parts of the open space. A soft melody could be heard as Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto approach another priest.

Fon was gently humming as he trimmed the edges of the vines that seemed to dance along to his soft melody. He halts suddenly when he spots Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto, he stares at the pair before he picks a silver rose from one of the vines. Fon then approaches the pair, he gently takes Tsunayoshi's hand in his and places the rose in her small hands. "A protective charm." He answers simply when he sees the questioning gaze the pair aimed at him, he smiles as Tsunayoshi thanks him before Fon turns and leaves the garden. "May god always be with you!" He calls over his shoulder before the pair leaves the garden as well.

Yamamoto smiles when he sees a leaf in his friend's hair. "Tsuna..." He calls softly and when the girl turns to face him with a questioning gaze, he reaches over and untangles the leaves from her mess of hair. "You know... I'm glad... I'm glad that I've become your friend." Tsunayoshi blushes cutely but smiles at Yamamoto anyway.

From a balcony, Colonello and Verde watch the scene rather enviously. "Hmm... I didn't know he was her boyfriend..." Colonello comments a bit too casually. Verde replies with a simple. "I'm sure they're just friends." He strokes the doll's head quite absentmindedly.


	3. Darkness

**Sherry here~ When reading 'Flames and Kors' please ensure that your room is adequately lit and that your face is of considerable distance from the computer. I own neither 07-ghost nor Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

Verde watches as Yamamoto suddenly grabbed the girl by her slim waist and started twirling the girl in happy pirouettes around the garden, laughing happily as Tsunayoshi giggles with a slight blush evident on her face. "A silver rose, also known as the flower of protection..." Colonello glances at Verde at the corner of his eyes, to find the green haired bishop to be staring intently at the flower clenched in Tsunayoshi's small hand that was on Yamamoto's broad shoulders.

"It is rare for Fon to bequeath that flower to anyone..." The green haired bishop took a seat at the table and sips the tea his doll pours into an elegant teacup. He stares at the clear reddish orange liquid in the porcelain cup for a moment before completing his sentence. "I can only hope that nothing drastic should befall on the both of them."

Colonello turns his attention back out the window and almost chokes on his tea as he watches Yamamoto trip over a rock and send the both of them skidding across the floor, the tanned teen laughs and ruffles Tsunayoshi's hair as a sign of apology which the girl accepts with a gentle smile, a small hand on the tanned teen's hand on her head.

The tanned teen then flinches as he felt a sharp pain in his head. "Yamamoto?" Tsunayoshi asks worriedly, her eyebrows forming a concerned frown for her best and only friend. Yamamoto simply waves her concerns and dismisses the throbbing of his head to exhaustion, excusing himself to go lie down in the guestroom that the sisters had laid out for them. Tsunayoshi watches Yamamoto leave with a worried look plastered on her face, the expression fades into one of curiousity as the church children started lighting up the lampposts that litter the church, bells chimed to represent that the gates are starting to close.

"_My pure and innocent child... Slumber with the light. The shadow of the devil, that treads in shadows, binds itself with the darkness... Before then-_" The children had moved out of earshot for Tsunayoshi to hear the continuation of the lullaby. Deciding that she had been idle enough, Tsunayoshi decides to pay a visit to her friend.

* * *

Wandering along the hallways, lost was not how Tsunayoshi had envisioned her journey to visit Yamamoto. Sighing audibly to herself, she bumped, quite literally into a pair of familiar bishops. "Ah, Verde-san, Colonello-san." Tsunayoshi hurriedly bows in greeting.

Verde smiles at Tsunayoshi but looks around confusedly to spot a certain raven haired boy that would always be by the brunette's side at all times. "Ah, if you're looking for Yamamoto, I think he's back in our room but I can't seem to find my way back." Tsunayoshi smiles sheepishly before finally noticing the flower clenched tightly in her hands. "Ah! I got this flower as a protective charm from Fon-san, can you help me give it to him?Since he's my best friend..."

Verde stares at the brunette for a bit before smiling and gently taking the flower from the brunette, instead of promising the girl to give it to Yamamoto, he twists the stem such that it entwined around a lock of brown hair, with the flower properly attached to the brunette, he parts his lips to speak. "This flower is meaningless if you do not fasten it on yourself." The brunette droops visibly before an idea hits her.

"Then, can you let me take care of Yama-" Before she can finish her sentence, it cut off from a low rumble coming from her stomach. Tsunayoshi blushes at the rude protests of her stomach, Colonello laughed visibly as Verde adjusts his glasses to stifle his chuckle of amusement. Colonello grabs the girl by the wrist and drags the brunette to where the mess hall is located.

"It'll be troublesome if you collapsed as well and if I leave you, you'd probably won't eat until tomorrow morning and I can't have a lost lamb starving when I can help it, now can I? Kora." Tsunayoshi snaps her mouth shut to prevent the sounds of protests from escaping at Colonello's last sentence.

* * *

Sister Kyoko and Bianchi welcomed Tsunayoshi into the canteen warmly, it is a large hall where bishops and nuns of all ages sit down to have their three meals, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, something Tsunayoshi had never encountered before she met Yamamoto. Sister Bianchi ushered Tsunayoshi to sit in between her and Sister Haru. With Verde and Colonello directly opposite, Sister Haru lays a napkin across Tsunayoshi's lap and Sister Kyoko places a covered rectangular bowl-like dish in front of the girl.

"It's a modest meal but please help yourself to as much as you want~" Sister Kyoko chirps as she smiles at the brunette and hands her a fork and a spoon. "It'll give you strength too." Bianchi chirps as she settles next to Tsunayoshi with her own dish, smiling gently as Tsunayoshi smiles shyly.

"Today's main menu is..." Sister Haru clasps the handle of the lid and lifts it to reveal... eyes?! "Eye stew desu~" Sister Haru squeals in delight, Tsunayoshi stares at the stew, the 'eyes' floating in their clear brown liquid that Tsunayoshi recognized as soup stared right back at her. She looks up to find Verde reaching into the wide bushes of trimmed flowers to pluck out a small stalk and begun to nibble on the flowers, Colonello whistles at the stew, obviously pleased.

"We have a great feast tonight~ I gratefully accept, kora." With that, he stabs an eyeball with a fork and chomps it. Tsunayoshi was unsure if she wants to eat the stew in front of her but upon seeing Sister Haru, Kyoko and Bianchi encouraging looks, she stabs at one of the 'eyes' and nibbles on it. The sisters would not have offered this to her if they did not think it was edible, right? She was surprised that it tasted the same as the fish she usually ate at the school canteen, but continues nibbling at the fish, her mouth not really used to biting food seeing as she usually only took pills that supplemented her vitamin levels.

"Today we have received the most wonderful ingredient, a large and valuable supply of eyefish." Sister Kyoko smiles as Tsunayoshi sips her soup lightly, liking the salty taste. "Since we cannot eat meat, we are truly grateful for this meal." Tsunayoshi makes a face of confusion, a quarter through her second eye fish. Verde sees her expression and chuckles lightly before explaining.

"Within the church we mainly eat humble things such as grain, vegetables and fish. The eye fish and edible flowers in particular are a special product of the seventh district." Tsunayoshi nods her head in understanding, swallowing the last bit of her second eyefish and stabbing another to begin nibbling on that too. Colonello watched her eat and frowns as he sees that Tsunayoshi is not eating as normal people should, it is almost as if she does not know how to chew properly and has to nibble each bite little by little.

"So what do you normally eat until now, kora?" He asks, the stalk of a flower dangling from his lips as he lazily chewed on it. Truth be told, he was interested in what the brunette normally ate.

"Mm, normal food like yakisoba but I rarely eat those and pills, fortifying minerals and vitamins with added protein in some." Tsunayoshi finishes her third eye fish and sips on her soup again.

"So that's why you're so short, kora." Tsunayoshi twitches with irritation and bites a little too hard on her fourth eye fish that instead of nibbling the fish little by little she actually bit off half of the fish and is chewing it without much difficulty thanks to her irritation. Colonello grins as his plan to get the girl to chew more normally worked.

Sister Kyoko suddenly piped up. "Oh and we still have yet to hear of your name." Tsunayoshi pauses in her eating and blushes slightly.

"... Tsunayoshi... My name is Sawada Tsunayoshi... you can call me Tsuna." She says hesitantly, reverting back to nibbling her last eyefish and sips her soup quietly as the Sisters smile at her embarrassed behaviour. She was completely unaware of the soft looks Colonello and Verde sent her way.

* * *

After dinner, Tsunayoshi sits on the window sill of one of the large windows lining the hallways, her feet dangling as she stares up at the moon. Silver butterflies dance in the air but Tsunayoshi paid them no heed. 'I wonder if Yamamoto-kun is okay... I hope he'll get better soon, I've brought him dinner so he should be fine...' Her hands interlock and Tsunayoshi finds herself silently praying for her best friend to get better. She was unable to sleep since the nuns felt it best for them to sleep in separate rooms and she was unable to locate her best friend's room (again).

'The next time we talk to one another... I wonder where should I begin... I have so much to tell him, where do I even start explaining my past to him clearly...?' Tsunayoshi mused as she hugged her knees and leaned against the window frame. Soft footsteps brought Tsunayoshi out of her musings and she turned to face who was the person walking along the hallways in the dead of the night.

An old man, with a hunched back was bunched up warmly in a layer of cloth that acted as a cloak. His old wrinkled hand grasped the handle of a walking cane slight worn from use. A passing cloud caused the moonlight to shine on the elder, allowing Tsunayoshi to make out an old wrinkled face.

* * *

A commanding officer, slightly pudgy and dressed in a signature uniform with badges to represent his rank, questions his subordinate who had contacted him by . "Have you located Sawada Tsunayoshi?"

The subordinate salutes quickly before delivering his report. "Sir! We have discovered the remains of a crash and we are currently in pursuit!"

The commanding officer turns to sneer at the calm Bermuda who stares at the man with cool eyes. "Why don't you explain to us, why you let him escape, Bermuda-kun?"

"Sawada Tsunayoshi just came back to retrieve something he forgot, right? Bermu-tan?" A white haired man with lilac hues and violent eyes with a purple tattoo of three upside down triangles smiles carefreely. The boy next to him has a mop of green shoulder length hair and a mischievous smirk upon his lips as he watched the commanding officer pop a vein at Byakuran, a disfigured rabbit in his arms.

"I'm sure that he'll come back here even if he does not want to." Daisy adds in his two cents, as Byakuran's begleiter it would be shameful not to back up your own superior.

"I look forward to meeting Sawada Tsunayoshi... He seems unlike all the idjits that gather here..." Zakuro smirks as the haughty faces that turned multiple hues of colours before settling for red, ablaze with fury or embarrassment, Zakuro could not be bothered to find out. Bluebell continues snoozing, snuggling further into Kikyo's, who is her Begleiter's, arms

"Do you people even have an ounce of serious motivation for this!?" One of the older, more arrogant officers spoke up as he banged his fist on the table, a vein threatening to burst throbbed on the side of his forehead as he pointed an accusing finger at the sleeping girl. "Especially you! On the left!" Kikyo simply smiles at the man, almost innocently if not for the hidden malicious intent in his greenish turquoise eyes.

"Yes we do~" Daisy, Byakuran and Zakuro smiled innocently.

Another officer offers his own opinion. "Besides, you- you're just brats!"

Yet another protest was voiced. "Think about your position as staff officer! Did you really have to inspect the school?! Stop doing whatever you please!"

And so the dam was almost broken when another officer protested. "Aren't there other things you should be doing? Impertinent."

They were all silenced however when a voice cut through all the commotion and complaints the officers had showered Bermuda's team with. "Now now, I was the one who sent them to inspect the school." A man with an iron mask,

"Chairman Checkerface-sama!"

"So you've met 'him'? I was considering to assign 'him' as your Begleiter." Chairman Checkerface leans forward his lips upturned into a smile that no doubt never reached his hidden eyes. He interlaced his hand and placed his chin atop the makeshift bridge.

"Thank you for the thought." Bermuda says curtly, a slight shadow falling over his face. "But... what will happen when 'he' finds what 'he's' forgotten?"

Chairman Checkerface let out a light chuckle. "I find myself looking forward to it increasingly, each day, wouldn't you agree? Bermuda-kun?"

* * *

"Mister! What are you still doing here?" Tsunayoshi calls out as she jumps from her spot on the window sill and lands gracefully in front of the cloaked elder. 'Did he not make it when the gates closed?' She adds in her thought as the elder hobbles a few steps towards her.

The old man let's out a tired sigh as he gestures to the stone bench underneath the windowsill, "May I take a seat first?" Tsunayoshi stiffens as her manners took over.

"Yes, by all means." Tsunayoshi responds and she hurriedly sidestepped to allow the old man to take a well-deserved break on the stone bench. The man was silent, reaching slowly into his cloaked sleeve to pull out a tattered crumpled photo of a newly wedded couple. The man was tall and rather handsome as he smiled tenderly at his wife who was looking radiant and stunning in her wedding gown, clasping onto a bouquet of white and pink roses. The man's hand was around his wife's waist as he pulls her closer to his body, both facing the camera with happiness.

"My wife passed away..." The elder man straightens the photo as he explains to Tsunayoshi the reason for being in the church after nightfall. "She was buried in the church graveyard but I fear she might feel lonely when left alone so I was not able to bring myself to leave when the chimes for the gate to close sounded." He puts away the photograph and grasps the walking stick that has been his companion for many years. "IT had always been just the two of us anyway, so even if I were to return home no one would be there to greet me anymore." Tsunayoshi sits next to the elder as he stares at his wrinkled hands clenched tightly around the handle of the walking stick. "I no longer have a place to return to..."

Tsunayoshi remains silent but her eyes started to sting with tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks, not knowing of her past for so long, finally figuring out who had murdered her father, Tsunayoshi could sympathize with the old man as she, herself had felt the loneliness and had wished to do something about it. The elder turns his face to look carefully at Tsunayoshi. "What's this? You have the same eyes as mine." Tsunayoshi swallows as her throat suddenly felt dry and she croaked out, "Mister..." her voice was frail, shaky and full of sadness.

"It may be fate that God has led us to meet here, if you like, I am willing to lend you an ear." Those words broke the dam that Tsunayoshi had built and the brunette found herself to be blurting out her problems to the elderly man.

"I... I can only remember broken pieces of my past. It is frustrating, why can't I remember...? Just how long do I have to endure this torture?" The man makes a noise of thoughtfulness as he pats Tsunayoshi's hand.

"Is that so...? Well, those memories are precious, very precious. Try your hardest to remember, close your eyes, yes that's right, now... what do you see?" Tsunayoshi did as the elderly man instructed and felt herself to be falling into the abyss that was known as her locked memories.

* * *

_"Blergh! It's the orphan! Go away!"_

_"Eww! The orphan is here, don't talk to her, we'll get infected and become orphans too!"_

* * *

'Ah... That's right... In my childhood, I was an orphan of a church.'

* * *

_Little Tsunayoshi, barely six years old, cries in a corner as she sports new bruises and cuts. The boys of the village loved to tease her and throw things that hurt her. Her sobbing ceased to hiccups as she felt herself be lifted from her corner and face to face with her favourite bishop, Reborn. "R-Reborn..."_

_"Crying does not solve anything little one, if anything, you should retaliate should you find yourself in a dangerous position." Tsunayoshi sniffles "Please become stronger until the day you can walk with your own two feet." The brunette girl sniffles and hiccups adorably as Reborn sighed in exasperation before bringing her into a soft embrace. The brunette immediately latched onto his shoulder and sniffles again._

_"I'm not alone. I have you, Father Reborn." Tsunayoshi declares, but she still tried her hardest not to allow Reborn to coddle her all the time. She reads her bibles beautifully, she practiced whenever she could and her classmates looked up to her with something akin to admiration. When the sweet potatoes ripened and they were roasting them in the backyard, Tsunayoshi offers everyone a roasted potato before eating one herself. Reborn rewards the girl for her efforts with his rare cuddles and just-as-rare smiles. _

* * *

'We were happy, until the war with the Millefiore empire obliterated the entire Vongola kingdom.' Tsunayoshi thinks bitterly.

* * *

_The army were everywhere, the smell of blood and the metallic scent of weapons filled the air as Tsunayoshi and Reborn hid behind the fallen pillars that used to be erected to support the weight of the church roof. "There may be more survivors! Continue the search!" Tsunayoshi shivers in fright but Reborn was having none of that as he grasped the child by her small shoulders and forced her to make eye contact with him. _

_"Tsuna, Tsuna listen carefully. If they find out that you are really a child of royalty, they... the imperial army would not show you any mercy," Tsunayoshi was an intelligent child, she immediately understood the hidden meaning behind the words her favourite bishop uttered. 'If there comes a time when it is necessary, remember this well.' Reborn grips the shoulders slightly harder as he feels time running out, gritting his teeth he continues. "I pray, that at least you survive." _

_"I want to be with you forever, Father Reborn!" Tsunayoshi grips desperately onto her father-figure's bishop robes. Tears steadily rolled down her cheeks despite willing herself not to cry, not to show weakness to her precious person. Reborn smiles, sadly, as he pulls the brunette close to his chest, a hand stroking the soft locks of his little daughter-figure. "I love you, Tsuna." The girl's eyes widen as a pair of soldiers are stomping towards them, her grip on her father-figure's bishop robes tighten in fear. _

_"For the glory of our Vongola kingdom," Reborn pulls away and gently pried away the girl's small hands as he places a hand on the brunette's face. A gentle smile upon his face, Reborn ignores the soldiers cries to halt and murmurs his last sentence. "May God watch over you, my precious child." _

_Everything went red as Reborn's back was met with the metal blades and the black haired man fell onto the ground, lifeless. _

* * *

'I mustn't remember! No... Stop it. Stop it...! STOP IT!' Tsunayoshi screams as she shields her ears in her subconsciousness.

* * *

_"Oi! There's a kid here!"_

_"Wait there's something wrong with him."_

_"His eyes are unfocused, could it be...?"_

_"You don't remember anything...?"_

* * *

Tsunayoshi cries out as tears freely rolled down her cheeks and she shields her eyes that overflow with liquid. "Urggh... Ahhh!" Tsunayoshi screams out as wave after painful waves of memories flood her mind. The elderly man watches as she writhes in pain. "Little one, what has come to your mind...?"

"The Father that raised me... He died, saving me...!" Tsunayoshi heaves, her breaths turning irregular as she inhales and exhales heavily, tears continue to roll down her cheeks. "Please... please stop, I'm not supposed to remember, I don't want to remember anymore...!" The elder moves towards her, ignoring her words as he drops the cane he had been gripping in his hand a few moments earlier.

"If you put all your soul into making a wish." The man pauses and pats her head, but it lacked the affection as one would with a young child or pet. The brunette looked up through her whimpers and tears at the wrinkled face that twisted into a sinister smile. "I will grant it for you, what is it that your heart desires?"

Tsunayoshi's eyes started to become misty as if unfocused as the elderly man's fingers caressed her head, brushed against her nose and rested at the area between her collarbones. "I... want to meet... Father Reborn..." The elderly man smirks.

"Your wish has been fulfilled." An intricate mark appeared on the area the bony fingers brushed against and Tsunayoshi felt herself losing consciousness.

* * *

A huge gust of wind throws the brunette off guard as she brings her arms to shield her face. Her eyes clenched shut in anticipation and when he reopened them, she was in a familiar area. A figure stood in front of a building, a church, clothed in bishop robes. Tsunayoshi stares at the figure with wide eyes. Wild spiky hair, curly sideburns and onyx black orbs, a gentle smile not unlike the smile he wore before he was brutally murdered before her eyes was upon his lips as he noticed her presence.

"What's wrong, Sawada Tsunayoshi? I've told you that you mustn't step into this world." Reborn smiles again, this time more sadly as he continues in the usual gentle tone he reserved specially for her. "You must return." Tsunayoshi grits her teeth in sadness as she ran towards her father-figure a hand outstretched to touch the familiar cloth she had grown accustomed to in her childhood.

"Father Reborn!" Her scream caused the silver flower that had been attached to her hair fell and the petals scattered violently, creating a barrier between the brunette and the bishop. Tsunayoshi squeals at the violent wind that tugged at her hair and clothing as she shielded her eyes once more.

The blade of a scythe greeted her when she reopened her eyes once more and she looked up in amazement to find a skeleton clothed in the black robes of the shinigami she had seen earlier as a statue and believed to only exist in myths and rumours. "I won't allow you to meet the dead." The voice was deep, but held no hostile intention towards the girl as the illusion conjured up was slowly broken like fragile glass.

* * *

Kneeling on both knees as she felt sudden exhaustion, Tsunayoshi looks up to meet three very familiar bishops. "Don't let your heart be eaten by the darkness! Sawada Tsunayoshi, kora!" Colonello bellows. Tsunayoshi looks around to find herself in the familiar hallway of the church. 'Just now... that vision, what was that all about?' She thinks confusedly.

Colonello sighs in relief, his comrades mimicking his action as they find the girl safe and unharmed. Fon goes forward to check for injuries. Colonello turns to the elderly man with a menacing smile. "Hey, gramps, aren't you infringing on the rules a bit there, kora?" The old man simply cackles and points a bony finger at Tsunayoshi.

"I've become quite pleased with that child, wouldn't you give her to me..." The man paused before grinning at the three men "'Bishops'?"


	4. Kor

**Sherry here~ When reading 'Flames and Kors' please ensure that your room is adequately lit and that your face is of considerable distance from the computer. I own neither 07-ghost nor Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Beware of severe OOC-ness! **

* * *

The old man chuckled, a sound that resembled fallen leaves crunching beneath the soles of someone's shoes. "What's wrong with fulfilling dreams?" The old man inquires. Colonello replies with a snort.

"Last time I checked, letting someone meet the dead is strictly forbidden, kora." Colonello smirks, the old man simply chuckles before replying.

"Oh my, have you not heard of helping a pathetic child?" Coloneelo fakes a sigh and grins maliciously at the wrinkled face concealed beneath the shadow caused from the hood, his cranies showing as he nears the elderly man.

"Then, let me ask this." Colonello glances at Tsunayoshi who sat, leaning on the pillar with a frightened and confused expression present on her face as she watches the exchange between Colonello and the old man. "Does this 'salvation' you speak so highly of... Have any of god's love in it?" He pauses as a ripping sound fills the air and bony structures the shape of wings protruded from the back of the elderly man. "Well? Kor?"

"Ku ku ku, that girl and her friend are criminals from the imperial army." The elderly man, who had looked so frail and gentle before turned malicious and scary as he hovered a good ten inches above ground. He points a wrinkled finger at Tsunayoshi who flinches slightly. "A pursuer will be headed for her as well as her friend, how about it child? Do you not have a wish for me?" Colonello lifts a hand and rolls the sleeve of his bishop robes to reveal a Tattoo that is glowing bright blue. Tsunayoshi watches in confusuion as Colonello retorted to the old man's previous sentence.

"This church holds the laws of 'sanctuary', do you think it is a good idea to grant 'that wish', kora?" Colonello questions, the old man grew increasingly impatient as he shouts his next reply.

"You do not understand the true worth of that girl! My master will surely be pleased if I were to bring her to-"

Colonello interrupts the old man before he could finish his sentence. "I won't hand over the girl or the boy, but don't you think your master will be MORE please having this guy, kora?" At that sentence, a large scythe, a lovely sky blue colour with a tinted blue blade emerged violently from Colonello's arm. Startled, Tsunayoshi could only shriek as the scythe showed itself.

'W-What the hell is that!?' She yells in her mind. The scythe was acting as if it had a mind of it's own, writhing and growling as Colonello struggles to tame it's fiesty behaviour. The old man gasps, his expression suddenly pale and his finger shook as he pointed it at the weapon that had just sprouted from Colonello's wrist.

"W-Why... WHY DO YOU HAVE HIS SCYTHE, YOU BASTARD!" The old man, or kor, yells in anger, black shadows explode from the ground and made to attack the three priests and Tsunayoshi. The brunette and the priests all lept away in time, Tsunayoshi prepares her cloud attribute zaiphon when she was stopped by Colonello.

"It's useless to attack it in the darkness, kora. You'll only injure the vessal further." Colonello was so preoccupied with explaining and dodging the shadows that reached for him that he was unaware that the scythe, that had been on his wrist earlier, had detached itself from his arm and had lodged itself in the wall along with the train of her long skirt, effectively pinning the girl to the wall next to her. The frightened brunette shrieks as anime tears flow down from her eyes who gained swirly lines as she watches the scythe growl.

"HIEEEE!"

"What's the point in aiming it at the child?!" Verde yells in anger as a vein pulsed angrily on his forehead. Colonello responds with a blur 'Ah?' and looks from his wrist to the wall where the scythe had embeded itself to as if to confirm that the weapon was no longer in his wrist but pinning Tsunayoshi to the wall as if attempting to devour her. Colonello then stares at the girl in shock. 'That girl... she can see the scythe?'

* * *

Taking advantage of Colonello's confusion and the other two priest's momentary distraction, the kor swiftly ran towards the corridor windows and jumps, running agilely that an aged man like him was not supposed to be able to manage along the walls of the church towards the ground. Realizing their mistake, Colonello, Verde and Fon all disappear from their positions and Tsunayoshi was left alone with a growling scythe.

The three priests surround the old man, Colonello and Verde both no longer clothed in their bishop robes but in the black clothing where Yamamoto and Tsunayoshi first met them. "It pains me, having to lay a hand on an aged person... but nonetheless, I'll be taking that soul from you." Verde sighs through his nose. Tsunayoshi was struggling to free herself from the scythe when she felt it being hurled out the windows, she clings onto the blade for dear life as she makes sure her skirt won't fly up from the wind, screaming bloody murder all the while.

"May God be with you, bastard, kora." Colonello grins as he holds the summoned scythe in his hand. Tsunayoshi stares at the blonde in shock as she felt herself falling downwards. Colonello clicked his tongue irritably as the Kor summoned more shadows of fear, he sliced through them all and grabbed Tsunayoshi before flinging her to the nearest person who was, thankfully, Fon. "Pass!" He called before Tsunayoshi was flung like a teddy bear towards the Chinese priest.

"H-How the heck is he able to stand on the wall?!" Tsunayoshi shrieks as Fon simply chuckles. Meanwhile, the Kor summons a portal, it was murky and disgustiung looking, not unlike the murky waters of a badly polluted lake.

With an ominous voice, the Kor annnounced. "I'll be keeping this soul..."

The body of the old man sinks into the portal but Verde was having none of that as he summons his manipulative lightning zaiphon, after many years of research, he had finally found a manipulative zaiphon technique that uses his flame, it had been hard but he finally got the hang of it thanks to some more research. Strings, not unlike the nylon strings used in controlling puppets flowed from his fingers as he muttered. "You won't escape."

The strings seized the bone-like wings of the Kor and the old man, the Kor let out a bloodcurdling shriek as he felt itself seperating from it's current body agonizingly slowly. "How could I... be overpowered by the liks of you humans?!" It screams as half of it's physical body was torn out. "But if that scythe is still alive... then that means HE must also still be alive. Don't forget that, you brat-"

Colonello interrupts once more as he appears behind the Kor, his index finger and thumb holding the weapon in his hand as if to mock the Kor in front of him. "Wish to God, kora~" He says in a sing-song voice before he destroys the Kor.

* * *

Using his rain attribute zaiphon, Colonello lands safely with the scythe still at hand. Tsunayoshi stands beside Fon who immediately rushes to the old man's side, to check for injuries. 'I've... never seen abilities... like these...' Tsunayoshi thinks as Verde invites the old man to stay in the church for the night. She hears growling and truns to her side... only to do a double-take when she sees the scythe going back inside Colonello's wrist, albeit struggling slightly.

"Damn it, you're being rebellious today... just go in quietly already, kora." He sighs in relief when every last inch of the scythe vanishes into his glowing tattoo. Tsunayoshi runs towards the blonde with a worried expression on her face.

"Hey, doesn't that hand hurt?" Tsunayoshi inquires as Colonello stares at her.

"You're... not scared?" Colonello questions hesitantly as if afraid of her answer. Tsunayoshi merely tilted her head slightly to the side and furrows her brows, obviously confused if her expression was anything to go by. 'Normally, those whose skin is marked by Kor, turns mentally unstable afterwards but... for a girl and a child, she's tough...' He grins before his eyes narrow at the mark in the middle of the brown haired girl's collarbones. "... Your problem hasn't been resolved." He sighed before he picks up the girl, bridal style.

"H-HIEEE! C-Colonello-san! W-What are you doing!" Tsunayoshi squeals as she clings to Colonello's cloak for dear life. The blonde seems to like it and allows the warmth the brunette was radiating to sink into his cold skin. The brunette turns silent for a bit before her mind wanders to the old man. "Um..." Colonello glances down at the girl. "W-What'll happen to that old man...?"

Using the crook of his elbow to support Tsunayoshi's back, Colonello uses his free hand to dig for his packet of cigarettes and with that same hand he slips a cigarette in between his teeth and lights it. Tsunayoshi snatches the cancer stick from his lips before Colonello could even take in a breath, breaking it and throwing it away to show her open dislike for the drug, even pouting cutely to prove her point. The blond chuckles before answering her question.

"I've killed off his obsession so he should be fine... Worry more about yourself, will you, kora?" Tsunayoshi fell quiet after that sentence, a single though flashed through her mind. 'Colonello, may not be the best clergyman there is... but why does he worry, about someone as insignificant as me...?'

"That old man... told me that he no longer had a home to return to... Since... since this is a church and all, can't you search for his family or something?" Colonello stares at the girl in his arms before breaking out into a wide grin.

"You're a good girl, aren't ya, kora?" He grins as Tsunayoshi blushes a dark shade of red. Wanting to see more of this adorable reaction, he continues his teasing. Tsunayoshi's blush deepens with each sentence and the girl protests rather weakly against the relentless teasing. Fon and Verde smile as the green haired bishop piggybacks the elderly man to a guest room for him to rest for the night.

The atmosphere turns serious as Tsunayoshi and Colonello's voices faded into the distance, Fon drops his gentle smile as Verde comments, "I can't believe a Kor would appear right in the middle of the church..." Fon nods his agreement, his face showing discomfort as he hears the plants around them whisper frighteningly.

"The flowers... are still astir."

* * *

As soon as they reached the room Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto was sharing, Colonello lays the girl down gently on the bed. He bites the tip of his gloved hand and pulls off the offending fabric with his teeth. Tsunayoshi watches with mild curiousity and confusion, Colonello then touched the area between her collarbones.

Blushing wildly, she was about to question the blonde bishop's actions when he whispered in a soft voice so as to not awaken her best friend that is slumbering peacefully in his bed. "This will hurt a bit, try to bear with it, kora." Before Tsunayoshi could even respond verbally, a blue glow enveloped Colonello's hand and the brown haired girl felt a ripping pain in her chest.

Tsunayoshi could not prevent the shriek that slipped past her lips before she gritted her teeth and bore with the pain. Colonello continues extracting the Kor from the brunette and winces at the shriek that had escaped from Tsunayoshi's lips. 'This might take a while, kora...'

* * *

The soldiers saluted as Chief-of-staff Bermuda exited the meeting room, his subordinates in tow. Zakuro, Bermuda's trusted assistant is currently listing off the activities that would be done for the day. "After this, you have a meeting with General Longchamp at 9pm, and a court martial at 10pm." The red haired man whistles as he spots an interesting activity. "And starting tomorrow, the induction course for new begleiters is scheduled to begin!"

Bermuda nods to show that he had been listening to Zakuro and compliments, "Just a little further, Zakuro, you've worked hard." The man grins, barring his crannies for the world to see.

"Idjit, as if something as small fry as organizing your schedule would tire me out. It is an honor to simply be of use to you." Just as the group exited, three officials clenched their fists as they started their daily complaints about Bermuda and his team.

"That damn Bermuda... what an intolerable youngster!" One of them grounded out, a thick vein pulsing on his forehead, it was a wonder he managed to keep it from bursting. He continues, "He's merely a descendant of the lowest class of aristocrats who were discarded by the imperial family, how dare he-"

They were interrupted when Byakuran appeared behind them, yawning childishly as he if he had just awoken from a nap, (which he took in the meeting since it was too boring~), the officials all paled at his appearance and the slightest clink indicated that the katana that was Byakuran's secondary weapon had been used not too long ago. The only question was, on what...?

As Byakuran jogged to catch up with his group, another official pointed at the albino. "W-Wasn't that... Chief-of-staff Bermuda's... personal unit..." Before he could finish his sentence, a ripping sound was heard and all three officials found their belts cut and their pants pooling on the floor, revealing their different colored boxers. Byakuran hid a mischievous smile beneath his hand as he hears the officials screaming bloody murder. 'That's what you get for messing with Bermu-tan~' Byakuran sings in his head.

Bermuda notices Chariman Checkerface as the latter called out to him. "Going back to the matter of the deserters, Sawada Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto Takeshi..." Bermuda nods.

"I understand, do you wish for me to seize them and have them brought back here?" Checkerface does not respond but simply closes his eyes as if in resignation.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi is strong. He's the best student I've ever taught after all, it is best you do not underestimate him OR his friend."

* * *

Tsunayoshi awakes to the sound of Yamamoto's voice. The brunette smiles sleepily at her roommate and best friend as Yamamoto smiles warmly at her as if in greeting. "It's already morning~ Just how long were you planning to sleep in, Tsuna-chan~" Yamamoto sings in a teasing matter as his friend sits up groggily, one hand trying to rub the sleepiness out of her eyes.

Yamamoto shows her the letter left by one of the sisters, probably, Tsunayoshi gets out of bed to realize that she was dressed in a white long-sleeved dress, the collar was high and almost covered her neck, the sleeves were slightly poofy at the shoulder area and the dress itself was split into three sections, the two sections at the back was held together by braiding a blue ribbon downwards, such that it ended in a bow with the extra ribbon trailing after the girl.

Tsunayoshi sighs, thinking that Kyoko, Haru or Bianchi probably came in after Colonello and re-dressed her. Really, was she THAT much fun to dress up? Yamamoto was dressed simply in a white button up shirt with a black vest, brown pants that look slightly worn in some parts and black boots adorn his lower body.

"The letter tells us to go to water fountain, in the courtyard." Yamamoto informs as Tsunayoshi scans through the well drawn map briefly. He smiles as he offers his hand to his best friend (And secret crush), Tsunayoshi blushes before she takes her friend's hand, smiling cutely all the while.

'There are so many things, so many things that I do not know about the outside world...' Tsunayoshi glances at Yamamoto out of the corner of her eye as they near the archway that lead to the wide courtyard. She turns her attention back to the front, only to just miss Yamamoto small smile.

'For me who had never set foot outside the Military...' It took a while for the pair's eyes to adjust to the bright light that assaulted their vision but when it did, Tsunayoshi's face displayed awe and childish wonder as she drank in the sights laid before her. 'Ah... what a dazzlingly peaceful and cheerful world... this place is...' She smiles as she spots the three nuns from before.

Kyoko, Haru and Bianchi all greet them eagerly, Tsunayoshi was a bit taken aback since she never had any female company before. She smiles gently at their warm and enthusiastic greetings and small talk. Yamamoto smiles fondly as he watches Tsunayoshi interact with the nuns quite enthusiastically. He notices a movement in the water and decides to investigate only to lean a bit to far in! "Ah! That's the deep end!" Kyoko yells out as if in warning, Tsunayoshi moved as fast as she could towards the falling raven.

If not for the fact that Tsunayoshi had pushed him back on shore and fell in herself, Yamamoto probably would have drowned since he was not really a very powerful swimmer. Tsunayoshi fell into the water and had to blink rapidly to get used to the feeling of water on her eyes. She was very much shocked that she let go of the breath she held as she faced a smiling... her? Tsunayoshi let out a strangled scream in surprise and was soon fished out by a very much amused Colonello and Verde.

* * *

Tsunayoshi wraps herself in the fluffy white towel that Bianchi had kindly prepared her and gratefully accepts the warm milk Colonello offers. "I see you've met Chrome, she's a 'mermaid of Noel' who can freely change her face, quite a rare sight don't you agree? Oh and she's also our church's organist~" Chrome changes back into her normal face, bright violet eyes with the same colour flowing long hair, Chrome smiles shyly as she hides behind Verde's legs.

'Oh... she's called a mermaid...' Tsunayoshi muses as she sips on the warm milk. Chrome giggles and reaches for her, singing a lovely melody. "It looks like she's quite taken to you, Tsunayoshi-chan." Verde smiles. "She's usually quite shy." Tsunayoshi sets down her cup of milk and opens her arms so Chrome could wrap her arms around her neck, singing in delight. 'Can she not speak...?' She was slightly startled when Chrome's face switched to Colonello's face instead.

"It's bad for her to turn into THAT face though... careful, Chrome, you might get his germs~" Verde grins as Colonello holds up the mop he had been using to clean the floors with full meaning to crash it into Verde's head.

"Are you picking a fight, kora?" Colonello asks with a dark expression, a red tick mark pulsing angrily. Yamamoto smiles from his position next to Tsunayoshi and ruffles the brunette on the head. Tsunayoshi enjoys the contact and smiles happily in bliss as Chrome continues clinging to her.

Tsunayoshi then notices someone familiar across the courtyard, 'Ah... that person...'

It was the old man from the day before, a small family of three seemed to be picking him up from the Church. The child of the family, with a head of shaggy brown hair and electric topaz eyes reached for the old man who welcomed his gesture with a warm embrace. The reunited family bows in thanks to the nuns for taking care of the elderly man and they leave, the young child clinging to his grandfather's hand.

'I'm so glad... the old man DOES have a home to return to...' Tsunayoshi smiles in relief.

* * *

As Colonello watches the family leave, Verde decided to tell Tsunayoshi a story. "When a person is given life from the Chief of Heavens, this is what they asked: "Because you will be granted a human life, I will allow you three wishes throughout your lifespan. Now which dreams do you desire? You may reply with three dreams that will have risked your life." When all of your dreams, which the Chief of Heavens has promised to you, are fulfilled... It is believed that your soul will once again be called back to the Chief."

Verde smiles as Tsunayoshi listens with interest, Chrome has long-since released the girl's neck and is settled on her lap instead. "Of course when you are born, you won't remember the promised dreams you've made with the chief. Discovering them is the enjoyment and pleasure of life."

Verde opens a jar and pulls out a long colourfully wrapped milk candy, Chrome takes it and eagerly nibbles on it as soon as she unwrapped it, a content smile on her face.

"The Kor you encountered last night has an occupation of stealing those dreams and dragging humans into the darkness." He pulls out two orange and blue wrapped milk candy stick and offers it to Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto, both of whom accepts it absentmindedly.

"It eats dreams?" Tsunayoshi asks innocently, Yamamoto peels off the wrapper and bites on the soft candy.

"Mmm, let's see, to put it simply, if your first dream is granted through Kor's power, your heart becomes unable to be satisfied no matter what you do. When the second is granted, you drop into a state of starvation, much like addiction symptoms. And then, when your third plea is granted..."

Tsunayoshi blinks at the pause and Verde simply smiles gently at the girl, his smile slightly sad. "The soul has indulged too much in darkness and would never be able to return to the chief's side forever. The Kor takes control of the body and increases it's numbers of it's comrades while waiting for their master Verloren's return." The brunette bites into the soft candy and hums in delight before returning her attention to Verde.

"It is the duty of the church to protect people from Kor. But so as to not repeat things again and because the symptoms of addiction can't disappear easily, there are people at the correction center who work hard to help them overcome it themselves." Tsunayoshi nods to acknowledge that she has heard what Verde has said before she remembered the reason why she sought out the priests in the first place.

Before she could voice her questions though, Verde's gloved hand clamped down heavily on her shoulder. A serene smile is upon his face as he voices out a favor to the brown haired girl. "Ah, before I forget, please keep last night's matters a secret." Tsunayoshi takes it as a cue for her to shut up and ask the questions at a later date, if there was one. She nods her head numbly and Verde smiles brightly, the heavy hand leaving her shoulder and Tsunayoshi let out a breath she had not realized she had been holding. "Oh, by the way, Fon is in the garden and mentioned that he could use some help. Would you be so kind as to assist him?"

Tsunayoshi brightens at the thought of spending the day in a garden of beautiful flowers, her best friend and the gentle priest. Nodding so fast that Verde could not surpass the chuckle that escaped his lips, Tsunayoshi turns to take Yamamoto's hand. Before she was able to leave, Verde calls out to her once more. "By the way, Tsunayoshi-chan, what is your dream?"

"... Dream...?" Tsunayoshi echoes, her eyes tuning slightly dazed as she turned and left the courtyard, heading in the direction of the gardens. 'I'd never thought of having a dream... Because I'd always thought I must walk above the rail the army decided on... That's... what I'd truly believed in.' Were Tsunayoshis thoughts as she enters the bright vegetation area.

* * *

"It seems Tsunayoshi-chan has no recollection of meeting with the Father last night." Verde muses as he watches the girl giggle at her friend's joke, before the both of them disappeared around the corner.

"Of course, I'd cut that memory from her, kora." Colonello flips his magazine to the next page, mentalling wowing at the vast array of breats practically displayed for his enjoyment. "If the dead had touched her, she would have needed to start life anew again."

Verde pauses as he ponders on what Tsunayoshi had done the previous night. 'More than anything, the chief of heavens hated the 'equilibrium' when destroyed, not just humans even Kor were punished for doing so. This has been kept up in ancient times to attain flawlessly beautiful souls. What caused the Kor to grant a wish other than the three that were promised to God, and say that it was nothing...?' He blinks as he thought of a probable reason. 'Did Tsunayoshi-chan have 'something' the Kor wanted to make him overstep the boundaries?'

Verde and Colonello were brought out of their little worlds when Sister Kyoko approached them, a warm smile upon her face. "Bishops, the preparations for Mass is ready." She announces softly. Verde and Colonello nods to acknowledge her sentence, before the green haired bishop turns to face the blonde.

"Going back to the subject of Tsunayoshi-chan." Verde flashes a warning smile as his glasses glint dangerously. "Don't eat her."

Colonello huffs indignantly, "As if I'll let myslf do that."

* * *

Byakuran smiles happily as he pops yet another marshmellow into his mouth, chewing on the sweet treat and relishing in it's sweet taste. "So... What are you going to do Bermu-tan?" He teased as he pops a handful of marshmellows into his mouth.

Bermuda responds with a smirk, his eyes glinting dangerously. "Don't be hasty, if you mean the matter of Sawada Tsunayoshi, I have already... made my move."

* * *

Tsunayoshi sneezes as she accidentally cuts off the rose, Fon asked her worriedly if she had caught a cold but she merely smiles and insisted that she was fine. Just when she was about to go back to tending to the bushes of pink roses, a shadow looms over her forebodingly.

"Tsu... -chan...?" Tsunayoshi looks up to see... a woman with light shoulder-length brown hair and chocolate brown eyes, very much like hers. The woman was dressed richly in silk and a flowing red cloak. A flowing red cloak that sent memories flying to Tsunayoshi's brain as she remembers the woman's smiling face and gentle touches before she disappeared.

"Ma... ma...?"


End file.
